Serving tray accessory



May 14, 1963 A. B. WHITE SERVING TRAY ACCESSORY Filed Nov. 3. 1960 May14, 1963 A. B. WHITE sERvINGTRAYAccEssoRY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 5.1960 United States Patent O 3,039,5s3 SERVING TRAY ACCESSORY Adam E.White, 13.0. Box 271, De Kalb, lil. Filed Nov 3, 1960, Ser. No. 67,130 2Claims. (Cl. 206-1) This invention relates -to a serving tray accessoryand more particularly to a combination holder for paper napkins andeating implements, as well as a disposal for waste material.

In the so-called drive-in type of restaurant opera-tion, wherein thecustomer(s) is served in his automobile by an outdoor waitress, certainproblems have arisen regarding the handling of eating implements, and inparticular, the handling of waste materials such as used paper napkins.Frequently, the area around a drive-in restaurant is littered with usedpaper napkins, wooden spoons, etc., and if not attended to with acertain amount of diligence, quickly presents a picture reminiscent of amunicipal dump.

The serving tray accessory of the present invention not only provides aconvenient means for the handling of paper napkins and eatingimplements, when used at drivein restaurants, but also allows theorderly disposal of waste material, such as used napkins, wooden spoons,etc. In addition to use at drive-in restaurants, the serving trayaccessory will be found useful in other situations, such as in hospitalsand in other institutions, or operations where a food tray is employed.Among the features incorporated in the serving tray accessory of theinvention is an easy loading napkin holder, and a positive holding wastedisposal portion. Another feature resides in the ease with which theserving tray accessory may Ibe applied and removed from a food servingtray.

The main object of this invention is to provide a serving tray accessoryfor the convenient handling of paper napkins and eating implements, andwhich allows the orderly disposal of waste material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a serving tray accessoryhaving an easy loading napkin holder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a serving trayaccessory which may be easily applied and removed from a food servingtray.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become moreapparent from the following description and accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a serving tray accessory embodyingthe principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view on a reduced scale of the serving trayaccessory of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 1, but with a napkin holder removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a napkin holder portion 4of the servingtray accessory of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the serving tray accessory of FIG. 1showing it mounted upon a serving tray;

FIG. 6 is a plan view with a portion broken away and generally as seenalong line 6--6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section View generally as seen along line 7--7 in FIG. 5;and

FIG. 8 is a section view similar to FIG. 7, but showing a modiedembodiment `of the invention.

ICC

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4,the numeral 10 identities a serving tray accessory embodying theprinciples of the invention which incorporates a main body portion 12,and a removable paper napkin holder portion 14. The main body portion 12is in the form of rectangular box-like structure which is open at theupper side. At the front side of the main body por-tion :12 is a recess16 defined in part by vertically arranged rectangular pockets f18 ateach end of the recess, as well as a bottom ledge 20', said pocketsserving as receptacles for spoons, forks, drinking straws, etc. (notshown).

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the main body portion includes a disposalportion 22, having side walls 24, a partially slanted rear wall y26, abottom portion 28, which may be integral with the Ibottom ledge 20, anda forward wall 30. A lip 32 is formed along the upper edge of the rearwall 26, which lip projects downwardly at an angle into the disposalportion 22. The disposal portion 22 is used for receipt of used papernapkins, as well as used eating implements, and yfood scraps. The lip32, and the slanted rear wall 26 serve to maintain the used material ordebris within the disposal portion 22, and make it more difficult forsuch debris to be blown, or otherwise accidentally removed. Suchstructure, i.e., the lip 32, and slanted wall 26, will not seriouslyinterfere with the easy removal of the debris from the disposal portion22, when necessary.

The napkin holder portion 14 is in the form of a rectangular box, havingan opening 34 on the front surface which may be used for the loading andservice removal of napkins (not shown) as in a well known manner. Thenapkin holder portion 14 has a detent protrusion 36 on each end wall,each of which is arranged to engage a detent 38 formed on the wall of apocket 18. In such manner, the napkin holder portion may be removablymain-tained in position within the main body portion 12. A clip means 40is affixed to the bottom front edge of the main body portion 12, whichserves to removably aix the accessory i10 to a serving tray 42 in anyconvenient position. The latter may be provided with leg or arm members44 for holding the tray in position adjacent a window recess 46 of avehicle. It is to be understood that the serving tray accessory 10' maybe used on, or with, any serving tray, as for hospital use.

The serving tray accessory may be made from a variety of materials, suchas sheet metal, plastics, or cardboard. It will be noted that the designof the accessory 'l0 is such as to aiord ample space for advertisingmatter to be placed on the outer walls, if desired.

The serving tray accessory shown in FIG. 8 differs from that abovedescribed only insofar as a hinged door 48 is provided in the rear wall26, whereby debris can be more conveniently removed from disposalportio-n 22.

From the foregoing it will `be seen that the serving tray accessorydescribed will satisfy all of the lobjectives of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A serving tray accessory including in combination, a main bodypon-tion in the shape of a rectangular open top debris receiving boxprovided with a recess at the front side and an outwardly slanted Wallat the rear side, a vertically arranged pocket at each end of saidrecess, a napkin holder removably supported in said recess, and a clipmeans axed to the bottom of Ithe accessory for the attachment of saidaccessory to a food serving tray.

2. A serving tray accessory according to claim 1, including a liparranged along the upper edge of the rear wall which lip projectsdownwardly in the debris receiving box, and a hinged door arranged insaid slanted wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS KulwinJuly 17, DolZer Dec. 23, Sherman et al. July 8, Brunner et al Dec. 4,Duckett July 2, Thiede Oct. 16, Fawcett Feb. 26, Taylor June 18,Franklin Mar. 15, Kantor et al. Oct. 3,

1. A SERVING TRAY ACCESSORY INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A MAIN BODYPORTION IN THE SHAPE OF A RECTANGULAR OPEN TOP DEBRIS RECEIVING BOXPROVIDING WITH A RECESS AT THE FRONT SIDE AND AN OUTWARDLY SLANTED WALLAT THE REAR SIDE, A VERTICALLY ARRANGED POCKET AT EACH END OF SAIDRECESS, A NAPKIN HOLDER REMOVABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID RECESS, AND A CLIPMEANS AFFIXED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ACCESSORY FOR THE ATTACHMENT OF SAIDACCESSORY TO A FOOD SERVING TRAY.